Sex and Pregnancy

Home/Early Pregnancy/Healthy Relationships/Sex and Pregnancy

Sex and physical affection are healthy, wonderful ways to express yourself in pregnancy and as a new parent. Though you may feel especially loving, intimate and able to explore a variety of ways to have sex in pregnancy, you may also find your appetite for sex may change in response to fatigue, discomforts of pregnancy or concerns about whether some ways of having sex are risky for you or your baby. You may also observe changes to your sensations of excitement, the amount of lubrication you naturally make or what arouses or brings you to orgasm. Your partner may be going through changes of their own at the same time, making it important to connect and talk to each other about the best ways to share affection and physical intimacy.

If you're in an intimate relationship, having a healthy pregnancy also means feeling safe and comfortable with your partner, being open and honest to avoid risk of sexually transmitted infections and getting help if you feel at risk of verbal or physical abuse. See the links below on healthy relationships, information on sex in pregnancy and where you can find support.